The present invention relates to furniture construction. In particular, the invention pertains to the construction and attachment of decorative and/or wear-resistant edges on countertops and the like.
In furniture construction, countertops, desktops, shelves, dividers and other similar components most often consist of a support decking hereinafter referred to as a core material to which a finished top surface is applied. The finished top surface may be a plastic laminate, varnished veneer or other decorative material. Thus, while this core/finished surface component results in a durable, aesthetically pleasing plane surface, it leaves the edge of the core material exposed and, because the core material (e.g., particle board or plywood) is selected for its structural rather than aesthetic qualities, its exposed edge is most often considered unsatisfactory for the finished product either because of the visible surface it presents or its vulnerability to damage. Thus, it is common practice to apply a decorative edging that meets the finished surface of the countertop component and hides the edge of the core material.
In some countertop designs, the decorative edging may simply consist of coating the edge of the core material with some type of paint. In other countertop designs, the decorative edging may consist of a strip of relatively thin material, similar to the finished countertop surface material, that is glued over the edge of core material to hide it. Using this method, the decorative edging is most often applied to the core material edge prior to the application of the countertop surface itself. After application of the countertop surface material, it is then routed and/or filed flush with the decorative edging.
In still other countertop designs, the edging is a decorative molding that constitutes a separate component with a decorative side, a substrate or molding component core and, a joining side. The joining side is the side which is in direct contact with the exposed core edge of the countertop component. The decorative molding component is applied to the exposed core edge of the countertop component using for example glue, splines and/or wire brads to hold the joining side of the decorative edge molding component tightly against the exposed edge of the countertop component core material thus leaving only the finished surface of the countertop component and the decorative side of the decorative molding component exposed. At the same time, in addition to being held tightly together, the top edge of the decorative molding component is intended to align with the finished surface of the countertop component.
This latter countertop edging methodology, while it offers great decorative potential, presents some difficult assembly problems that tend to limit its usage. Initially, the difficulty arises from the need to properly bond the decorative molding to the countertop edge in a way that ensures a tight, strong connection without ruining the aesthetic appearance of the molding or the countertop. This often requires extensive simultaneous clamping over the length of a long countertop. The clamping is often complicated, tedious and awkward not only because of its length but also because of the close proximity of finished cabinetwork below and the limited open time of the adhesive. The application is even further complicated by the need to maintain the precise alignment of the top edge of the decorative edge molding with the countertop surface at all points along the entire length of the countertop until the adhesive dries.
One proposal for improved attachment of this type edging is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,613,342, 5,469,685, 5,157,891 and 4,996,817, all of which are issued to Nelson, entitled xe2x80x9cFURNITURE EDGE CONSTRUCTION.xe2x80x9d The Nelson invention provides for a generally longitudinal channel, horizontally disposed, formed in a front exposed edge of the countertop core material and a decorative edging piece having a protruding rib on its joining side which is received within the milled channel.
In Fine Homebuilding, March 1998, No. 114, at Pages 88-93, an article entitled xe2x80x9cMAKING BEVEL-EDGE LAMINATE COUNTERTOPS,xe2x80x9d by Herrick Kimball, (copy attached), further describes the application of plastic laminate clad bevel edge molding to a countertop. The molding described in the article can be either flat-backed or tongue-backed. The tongue-backed molding is similar in structure to the molding described by Nelson. The article illustrates the precision work required to align and then clamp (while maintaining alignment) the molding to the countertop during assembly. The tongued molding when compared to the flat-backed molding may, in some cases, either minimally assist or further complicate correction of the problems as described below. In fact, these problems are characteristic of all currently available methods of attachment. The Fine Homebuilding article referenced above shows the need to sand the top edge of the decorative edge molding at the seam where it meets the countertop surface to correct any misalignment in places where the edging is higher than the countertop surface. Such sanding or filing, although common, is highly undesirable and must be very limited because it quickly results in a dark line where the substrate of the plastic laminate is exposed. Such exposure defeats one of the main aesthetic features of this type of edging. Although not addressed in the article, this same critical seam (where countertop surface and the top edge of the edge molding meet) could be misaligned in the other direction, wherein the top of the edge molding is lower than the countertop surface. This problem would not be correctable by filing or sanding but would also result in a highly undesirable black line and potential damage because the front edge of the countertop surface material would be exposed. Finally, if not properly clamped over the entire length of the countertop, this same critical seam could be open wherein the top edge of the edge molding is not held tightly against the countertop surface. These latter two problems could only be corrected by reclamping and applying more pressure in the desired directions wherever needed along the countertop length. This reclamping can only be done on the assumption that the glue is not too hard so as to preclude necessary movement without damage. Left uncorrected, any of these problems or a combination thereof will result in an inferior, if not unsatisfactory, product.
It should also be recognized that the alignment and clamping problems discussed above with respect to plastic laminate clad edge moldings are equally applicable to other decorative edge moldings such as finished wood or solid polymer.
Other references in the countertop art are U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,505, issued to Nichols, entitled xe2x80x9cDECORATIVE PANEL CONSTRUCTIONxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,888, issued to Livnah, entitled xe2x80x9cLOW STRESS CONCENTRATION CUTOUT COUNTERTOPxe2x80x9d; and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,288, issued to Combs, entitled xe2x80x9cBEVEL EDGE TRIM,xe2x80x9d none of which meet the needs of the present invention.
Cabinetmaker Magazine, July 1998, pages 18-19, in an article entitled xe2x80x9cCustom Needs Drive Cabinet Designsxe2x80x9d by Ann Marie Moss and Joe Stella, reports on the results of its 10th Annual Kitchen Trends Survey. The survey showed that wood and solid surface trimmed countertops was an up and coming trend for 1998. The growing popularity of all forms of decorative edge moldings for countertops, shelving and the like demands the continued efforts of the furniture industry to increase the efficiency of decorative molding attachment methods.
The present invention is substantially different in structure and approach from known edge molding attachment methodologies and results in a higher, more consistent quality finished product by providing a simple solution to all of the misalignment and clamping problems described above. In addition, the present invention significantly expedites fabrication and results in a very strong, watertight interconnection between components. The invention is adaptable to the construction of countertops, shelving or other edged furniture components that use any of the common surfacing materials (e.g., plastic laminate, veneer or solid polymer) applied over a support decking.
The method of the present invention involves 1) cutting a groove with an angled face on the underside of the countertop component core material opposite the finished surface and near and, parallel to, the exposed countertop component core edge to which the decorative molding is to be applied. This groove in turn creates a downwardly facing wedge-shaped tongue between its front angled face and the exposed core edge.
The second step of the method involves 2) applying the decorative side of the decorative edge molding component which is to be applied to the countertop component. The decorative side can be any of a very wide variety of configurations and finishes as desired by the designer, fabricator or customer as long as its top edge presents a straight, clean line for abutment to the front edge of the countertop component.
An object of the present invention is to provide a joining side of the molding component which has a generally xe2x80x9cJxe2x80x9d shape defined by a flat back joining surface that extends down from the top edge of the decorative molding for a distance that is slightly greater than the total thickness of the countertop component exposed edge. An xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d configuration then extends rearward from the lowest point on the flat back joining surface and then upward thereby creating a tongue that extends upward with its faces parallel to the flat back joining surface. At the same time, a groove is created between the front face of the upward facing tongue and the face of the flat back joining surface of the molding component. This groove is open at the top. In the preferred embodiment, the upward facing tongue extends upward slightly less than half the height of the flat back surface of the decorative molding.
The method further includes, 3) glueing, preferably with a water soluble glue with a reasonable open time, say 30 minutes or more. Glue is applied in a thin even coat over the flat back joining surface of the molding component and over the exposed core edge of the countertop component. A small bead of glue is also applied into the bottom of the upward facing groove of the molding component and on the top edge of the upward facing tongue of the molding component. The method further includes 4) mating the molding component and the countertop component by bringing the molding component up vertically from below the countertop component such that the flat back joining surface of the molding component is parallel to and in planar alignment with the exposed core edge of the countertop component. As the molding component is raised vertically, the upward facing tongue of the molding component fits into the specially configured groove in the bottom of the core material of the countertop component and the downward facing tongue at the front edge of the countertop component core material fits into the groove between the flat back surface of the molding component and the upward facing tongue of the molding component. The upward and downward facing tongues thus mate with the downward and upward facing grooves. The angled front face of the groove in the bottom of the countertop core serves as a ramp which wedgeably forces the upward facing tongue of the molding component away from the exposed core edge of the countertop component which in turn draws the flat back joining surface of the molding component tighter and tighter against the core edge of the countertop component as the molding component continues to be raised until the top decorative edge of the molding component is flush with the finished surface of the countertop component and the component pieces are firmly wedged together. While the clamping action of the wedged joint is significant, it should be recognized that until the glue sets, the molding component can still be adjusted vertically in order to ensure proper alignment with the countertop component finished surface. In addition, because of the strength of the clamping action, it is possible to adjust the alignment of the molding component at various points without disturbing the alignment at other points.
In view of the above objects, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a countertop assembly which is easy to install.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a countertop assembly which is relatively simple structurally and thus simple to manufacture.
A significant advantage of the present invention is the ability to vertically adjust and align the entire longitudinal length of the top edge of the molding component with the top surface of the countertop component to create a flush alignment therebetween during the gluing phase of the countertop assembly installation.
A further advantage of the present invention is the tight connection which eliminates the need for clamping.
A further advantage of the present invention is the ability to vertically adjust and align the entire longitudinal length of the top edge of the molding component with the top surface of the countertop component to compensate for any manufacturing misalignments or offsets which would otherwise compromise the desired flush alignment between the top edge of the molding component and the top surface of the countertop component.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the drawings, the description given herein, and the appended claims.